Results 18,221-18,240 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (17 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 26 February 2016. It is a condition for receipt of CA that where the care recipient is aged less than 16 years, Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) must be in payment in respect of them. As an application for DCA in respect of the care recipient is still under consideration, CA...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times (17 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: A breakdown of the average time taken by the Department to award applications for social welfare payments, as of April 2016, is detailed in the following table. The processing times provided in the table are calculated on the basis of the total time from the registration date of the claim to final award. The processing times vary by scheme. This principally reflects the fact that the legal...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (17 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The average appeal processing time for appeals determined by summary decision and following an oral hearing in 2015 and to date in 2016 broken down by all social welfare scheme types is as outlined in the tables below. The unprecedented increase in appeal receipts since 2009 placed considerable pressure on the appeals office and impacted adversely on processing times. The overall number of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Eligibility (17 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned was sent a letter on the 04/05/16 requesting details of the terms and conditions of his tenancy and proof of rent paid at his address in writing from his landlord. To date this information has not been supplied. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Work Allowance Data (17 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: There are two schemes to assist people on certain social protection payments who wish to become self-employed; namely the Short Term Enterprise Allowance and the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA). The Short Term Enterprise Allowance provides immediate support to those who qualify for jobseekers benefit wishing to set up a business. Payment under the scheme is at the same rate and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (17 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I can confirm that the department received an application for disability allowance (DA) from the above named person on 12 November 2015. This application for DA, based upon the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds and the person in question was notified in writing of this decision on 25 January 2016. The person in question requested a review of the decision by a deciding...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (17 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 13 April 2016. The first payment was made by her chosen payment method on 11 May 2016. Arrears of payment due will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments or in respect of outstanding overpayments (if applicable). I hope this clarifies...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (17 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person in question appealed to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) a decision by a deciding officer to disallow his application for disability allowance (DA). Following due consideration, the appeal of the person in question was disallowed by an appeals officer (AO) on 16 February 2016. He was notified of this decision in writing by the SWAO on the same date. An...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (17 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 5 April 2016. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (17 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The rent supplement of the person concerned is currently suspended pending receipt of outstanding documentation following a review of the claim. An officer of the Department will contact the person concerned to clarify the outstanding issues. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Eligibility (17 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 10th October 2014. This application was not allowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 14th January 2015 outlining the decision of the deciding officer to refuse the allowance. A review of this decision was requested on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (17 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Carer’s allowance (CA) is in payment to the person concerned since 24 June 2010 in respect of one care recipient. The department received an application for CA for a 2nd care recipient from the person concerned on 13 April 2016. This application will be processed as quickly as possible and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. In the meantime, both the person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (17 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned is currently in receipt of a maximum rate widow(er)’s and surviving civil partners contributory pension in the amount of €233.30 weekly, plus additional weekly increases in respect of being over eighty years of age and living alone, paid at €10.00 and €9.00 respectively. According to the records of the Department, the person concerned has not...

Central Bank (Variable Rate Mortgages) Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (18 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I am thankful for the opportunity to speak on this very important issue, which is of great importance to the Government. It is also of great importance to my constituents, many of whom have mortgages at a standard variable interest rate. On a rough calculation, if there are 300,000 people with standard variable interest rates, there are probably between 9,000 and 10,000 in the constituency...

Central Bank (Variable Rate Mortgages) Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (18 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: There is, for example, the failure to consult the European Central Bank, which is required under Article 127 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and policy risks have been outlined by previous speakers. There is a possibility that the legislation could increase the cost of funds, thus making fewer mortgages available, particularly to people who want to buy for the first...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times (18 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested (where available) by the deputy is detailed in the tabular statement. Social Welfare claims by average waiting times and number of claims pending 30 April 2016 Scheme Average Waiting time (weeks) Claims Pending Jobseeker's Benefit 1 2,053 Jobseeker's Allowance 2 6,662 One-Parent Family Payment 6 1,119 State Pension Contributory (Dom) 7 4,396 Widow’s,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (18 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 56,800 people for which the Government has provided approximately €267 million for 2016. Over 20,100 rent supplement tenancies were awarded during 2015 and over 4,500 during the first four months of 2016 showing that landlords are accommodating significant numbers of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Gratuity Payments (18 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: This is a matter for my colleague the Minister of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Applications (18 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. To qualify for IP a claimant must, inter-alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last complete...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (18 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care. The person concerned is currently in receipt CA at the weekly rate of €263.60 which is the maximum rate of carer’s allowance for a person caring for one person who has two...